


Time to Eat

by IMAgentMI



Category: Red vs. Blue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 22:01:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8030419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IMAgentMI/pseuds/IMAgentMI
Summary: Carolina is working herself too hard.  Wash and Epsilon stage a sarcastic intervention.





	Time to Eat

“Hey Epsilon, want to play a game?”

Carolina looked up from her maps in surprise.  For starters, she hadn’t heard Wash enter the room.  Secondly, he was addressing Epsilon directly, which happened so rarely that it bordered on “never”.  Carolina straightened, pushing herself up from the table, ignoring the ache from being bent over too long.  And lastly - Wash playing games?  

But there he was, there  _ they _ were, Wash and Epsilon standing in the doorway of her quarters shoulder to shoulder, both with arms folded, probably unaware just how alike they looked.  And both staring at her.

“Sure, Wash.  What kind of game do you have in mind?”  Epsilon is full tilt sarcastic, and flooding her senses with “I’ve had enough of your bullshit.”  But this time, it isn’t aimed at Wash.

“I was thinking the ‘Let’s guess the last time Carolina ate’ game.”  Carolina’s jaw set, but Epsilon powered right through anyway.

“That is one of my favourite games.  And I’m so fucking good at it because  _ I know exactly when.” _

“Oh?  Do tell.”

“It was at 0623 this morning.  She had one of those gross looks-like-an-apple-but-totally-not-an-apple things that taste like grapefruit vomit.  She insists on trying to eat them because no one else will and she doesn’t want to waste food.  She didn’t finish it.  She didn’t finish her coffee either.”

“Wow.  And nothing since?”

“Nope.  Despite me asking her to.  And then fucking telling her to.  Then Kimball asking her to.  And then Doyle asking her to.  And then me telling her to  _ again. _ ”

“And what time is it right now, Epsilon?’

“It is exactly 1708.”

Wash’s jaw moved as he did the math.  “So nearly 11 hours since she last ate.  Out of curiosity, when was the last time before that?”

“That was- “

“Okay, okay,  _ okay! _ ”  She’d had enough.

“-at 1840 yesterday-”

“I said okay!  I get it!”  

“No, I don’t think you do.”  Wash stepped forward and picked up one of the maps from her table, looked at it, then glanced at the ones below it. “We just looked at these with Doyle and Kimball.”  It wasn’t a question.

“Yes, and-” 

“We went over them quite thoroughly.”  Wash set the map down and folded his arms again.

“Yes.  But I still wanted- “

“We’ve been over them  _ thoroughly _ , we’ve come up with a damn good plan for the raid, some solid contingency plans should anything change or go wrong. This is sorted.  This can  _ wait.  _ What can’t wait is you making your way down to the mess hall and getting a proper meal in you.”  

“Because if you don’t-” Epsilon was at his shoulder again.

“-we’re going to get Dr. Grey,” Wash finished.  “And you know how that will go.”

“Fine!  I’ll go!  Let me just put these away and-” 

Wash’s hands beat hers to the maps and he leaned down over them, much like she had earlier.  “This can  _ wait. _  Carolina, you aren’t any good to this army if you don’t take care of yourself.  You need to eat… now… and this has to end. You need to rest.  No one expects you to push yourself like this, this isn’t all on you.”  Epsilon leaned hard into her in her mind, matching Wash’s words with his own plea.  

“Okay.”  Carolina breathed in, held it a moment, and let it out in a rush.  “You made your point. I will make changes, it’ll be sorted out. The obnoxious blue headache over here can hold me to it.”  Epsilon twitched in her mind, half pleased, half annoyed. 

“All right then. I’m heading down to the mess hall right now to meet Simmons and Tucker - would you join us?”  The invitation was cordial, but Wash’s voice still had an edge to it.  Wash wouldn’t need Epsilon to tell him if she was or wasn’t eating.  He was going to make sure of it himself.

“I would be happy to.”

“Good.”  Something loosened in Wash’s shoulders and he finally smiled. Carolina smiled back. Time to turn the tables a bit.

“Epsilon, when was the last time that Wash slept?”

“That’s a good question Carolina. Oh look, when I access his biodata records it says here-”

“Ooookay, that’s not what we’re discussing now.  Mess hall, let’s go.”  Then aside to Epsilon, Wash hissed, “Whose side are you on here?!”

Epsilon laughed, and instantly appeared at Carolina’s shoulder.  “Whichever of you isn’t being the bigger hypocrite at the time.  It fluctuates a lot.”  

“Great.  Thanks.”  Wash stood aside and let them pass, then followed, pulling the door closed behind him.


End file.
